Treatment modalities and medication recommended by health care professionals for treating recurrent herpes labialis.

BACKGROUND: The authors conducted a survey to determine how health care professionals respond to patients' inquiries about cold sores, also known as recurrent herpes labialis, and their choices of treatment modalities and medications. METHODS: The authors mailed a one-page, pretested survey to a random sample of dentists, pharmacists and family physicians in Alberta, Canada. After receiving ethics approval from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, the authors mailed 998 surveys. The response rate was 51 percent. RESULTS: Topical antiviral medication was the most common treatment recommended (63 percent). Over-the-counter medication was the first choice for pharmacists (83 percent) as compared with dentists (15 percent) and physicians (16 percent). Emotional stress (60 percent) was reported by patients to be the most common trigger, and pain or discomfort (81 percent) was their primary concern. Acyclovir ointment was the most common antiviral drug recommended or prescribed by health care professionals (60 percent), and cost was the major reason they gave for not recommending or prescribing antiviral drugs (73 percent). CONCLUSIONS: The authors found variation in treatment modalities and recommendations by each health profession, despite the fact that patients reported similar triggers and concerns. This may be due to individual patient need and the health care professional's lack of knowledge. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Survey results may serve as a reference for health care professionals to use to determine how their choices of medications and treatment modalities compare with those of other practitioners. Professionals should know the benefits and limitations of all therapies, discuss them with the patients and select a treatment.

Recurrent herpes simplex labialis: selected therapeutic options.

Recurrent infection with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1), called herpes simplex labialis (HSL), is a global problem for patients with normal immune systems. An effective management program is needed for those with frequent HSL recurrences, particularly if associated morbidity and life-threatening factors are present and the patient's immune status is altered. Over the past 20 years, a variety of antiviral compounds (acyclovir, penciclovir, famciclovir, valacyclovir) have been introduced that may reduce healing time, lesion size and associated pain. Classical lesions are preceded by a prodrome, but others appear without warning, which makes them more difficult to treat. Various methods of application (intravenous, oral, topical) are used, depending on whether the patient is experiencing recurrent HSL infection or erythema multiforme or is scheduled to undergo a dental procedure, a surgical procedure or a dermatological face peel (the latter being known triggers for recurrence). This article outlines preferred treatment (including drugs and their modes of application) for adults and children in each situation, which should assist practitioners wishing to use antiviral therapy.

Effective treatment of herpes simplex labialis with penciclovir cream: combined results of two trials.

BACKGROUND: Two randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trials were conducted in Europe and North America to compare the efficacy and safety of topical 1 percent penciclovir cream with a placebo cream. METHODS: A total of 4,573 immunocompetent people with a history of recurrent herpes simplex labialis, or HSL, with three or more episodes a year that typically manifested as classical lesions, were enrolled and prospectively dispensed medication-either 1 percent penciclovir in a cetomacrogol cream base or a matching placebo. Patients self-initiated treatment and were required to apply study medication six times per day for the first day and every two hours while awake for four consecutive days. RESULTS: Of 4,573 enrolled patients, 3,057 initiated treatment (1,516 with penciclovir and 1,541 with placebo). Combined data from two trials revealed that penciclovir recipients lost classical lesions 31 percent faster than did placebo recipients (hazard ratio, or HR, = 1.31; 95 percent confidence interval, or CI, 1.20 to 1.42; P = .0001) and experienced 28 percent faster resolution of lesion pain (HR = 1.28; 95 percent CI, 1.17 to 1.39; P = .0001). Significant benefits were achieved with penciclovir use whether treatment was initiated in the early stages (P = .001) or later stages (P = .0055). CONCLUSIONS: The largest data set currently available on the treatment of recurrent HSL revealed that penciclovir cream significantly outperformed the placebo in healing classical lesions and resolution of pain. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The authors found that penciclovir cream positively affects recurrent HSL, and dose frequency is vital to topical treatment. Even when penciclovir was applied late, it was effective in favorably altering the course of recurrent HSL.

Business planning for university health science programs: a case study.

Many publicly funded education programs and organizations have developed business plans to enhance accountability. In the case of the Department of Dentistry at the University of Alberta, the main impetus for business planning was a persistent deficit in the annual operating fund since a merger of a stand-alone dental faculty with the Faculty of Medicine. The main challenges were to balance revenues with expenditures, to reduce expenditures without compromising quality of teaching, service delivery and research, to maintain adequate funding to ensure future competitiveness, and to repay the accumulated debt owed to the university. The business plan comprises key strategies in the areas of education, clinical practice and service, and research. One of the strategies for education was to start a BSc program in dental hygiene, which was accomplished in September 2000. In clinical practice, a key strategy was implementation of a clinic operations fee, which also occurred in September 2000. This student fee helps to offset the cost of clinical practice. In research, a key strategy has been to strengthen our emphasis on prevention technologies. In completing the business plan, we learned the importance of identifying clear goals and ensuring that the goals are reasonable and achievable; gaining access to high-quality data to support planning; and nurturing existing positive relationships with external stakeholders such as the provincial government and professional associations.

Understanding variation in revenue and expenses.

Control charts offer a way for healthcare organizations to react appropriately to unexpected changes in performance indicators. Control charts demonstrate whether an immediate remedy or a redesign of a process is needed. An understanding of variation in processes can help in comprehending performance and avoiding identification of data trends that do not exist. Control charts can be used to more accurately estimate revenue and expenses over the long-term.